1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to devices for fishing and more particularly to fishing rod holders.
2. Background of the Invention
Fishing dates back at least 10,000 years, as man has sought fish for sustenance and sport from at least that time. Often using a fishing rod, or in many instances attempting to maximize his harvest of fish, for food, or sport, or just to lie back and relax, until a fish or fish bite, man has attempted to devise means for holding his fishing rod or rods, while waiting for the excitement to begin.
Because fishing often entails prolonged holding of a fishing rod, often for many hours, a number of devices have been developed for supporting the fishing rod for the fisherman. One desirable feature of such devices is that they offer adjustability in the positioning of the rod. Also, because some fishermen prefer to fish with more than one rod at a given time, it is desirable that the fishing rod support device be capable of supporting a plurality of fishing rods simultaneously.
While the art contains many examples of devices intended to support a fishing rod, these devices are not as efficient as possible since they generally are not amenable to efficiently carrying one or more fishing rods. Therefore, a fisherman is required to carry several items, which may be inconvenient.
For example, some fishing rod holders have an open top cylinder with a spike coaxially aligned with the cylinder and removably or fixedly attached to the closed end of the cylinder. One uses the holder by inserting the sharp end of the spike into a substrate, such as the bank of a river, and then inserting the handle end of a fishing rod, or pole, into the cylinder for support of the fishing rod at an angle with respect to the substrate.
One disadvantage of the type of holder with a fixed spike is that sharp end of the spike is exposed when the holder is not in use and presents a safety hazard. The type of holder with a removable spike suffers from the same disadvantage but, in addition, has the further disadvantage that the spike may become separated from the cylinder and lost when the holder is not in use. Yet another disadvantage with these holders is their inability to assist a fisherman in carrying the fishing rod.
In order to satisfy the needs of most fishermen, there is a need for a simple, effective, lightweight, durable, fishing rod holder for quick and easy access, installation, and removal of at least one and a plurality of fishing rods thereon and therefrom, respectively, and requiring no assembly or minimal assembly. The fishing rod holder should be inexpensive, attractive, quick and easy to install and remove from a surface, and compactly storable. The fishing rod holder should be capable of being removably engaged into the ground.
Different fish rod holder and supports have heretofore been known. However, none of the fishing rod holder or supports adequately satisfies these aforementioned needs.